Woman who lost son in train derailment fined for calling judges 'three wise monkeys'

Mısra Öz-Sel stood trial for "insulting public officials" because of her remarks about the judges who try the case regarding the deadly train derailment in 2018.

İstanbul

Woman who lost son in train derailment fined for calling judges 'three wise monkeys'

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Mısra Öz-Sel, who lost her son Oğuz Arda Sel (9) in the 2018 train derailment in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, has been sentenced to pay a fine of 8,840 lira (~1,245 USD) for "insulting" the judges who tried the case regarding the incident.

She was indicted after she wrote on social media that "The court board preferred to be the three wise monkeys."

Çorlu 5th Penal Court of First Instance sentenced her to pay a fine for "insulting public officials."

"Until those who are really responsible stand trial, I and 25 people will continue to seek our rights," she told reporters after the hearing.

"They are trying to intimidate us with monetary penalties because what they know best is money. I'm not afraid, I'm not giving up. I said this to the judge, too.

"As I'll stand by everything I say, they won't be able to scare us with the decisions they give against me, our lawyers, journalists.

"Those who can't bring back the 25 people easily choose to bring us here ... Those who are responsible should be brought here and stand trial.

"Because we know that they seek to silence us by bribing us. But we will continue until they stand trial."

The case regarding the incident that claimed the lives of 25 people is continuing and the next hearing will be held in March.

What happened?

Leaving Turkey's northwestern Edirne province for İstanbul with 362 passengers and 6 personnel on board, a passenger train derailed and rolled over in Çorlu, Tekirdağ on July 8, 2018. 25 people, including 7 children, lost their lives and 328 others got wounded.

The indictment prepared by the Çorlu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office demanded the penalization of Railway Regional Maintenance Manager Turgut Kurt, Road Maintenance and Repair Chief Özkan Polat, Line Maintenance and Repair Officer Celaleddin Çabuk and Bridge Chief Çetin Yıldırım, who signed the annual inspection report before the derailment. Found to be the primary negligent parties in Çorlu train massacre, they are charged with "reckless injury and killing."

The following 25 people lost their lives in Çorlu:

Ersen Gül, Serhat Şahin, Melek Tuna, Ayşe Başaran, Ergün Kerpiç, Hakan Sel, Oğuz Arda Sel, Özge Nur Dikmen, Gülce Dikmen, Sena Köse, İrfan Kurt, Mavinur Tiflizden, Bahar Koçman, Yağmur Laçin, Özcan Cesur, Derya Kurtuluş, Beren Kurtuluş, Emel Duman, Bihter Bilgin, Ömer Alperen Can, Seyfi Erbil, Zübeyde Seven, Gani Kartal, Rubize Kartal, Fethiye Yıldız